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Camog's story...
Establishing Tir na nOg Ranadalstown
Way back in 1919, the Tir-na-nOg was formed
due to the very strong influence of Maurice Bogue who was originally
from Cork. Maurice Bogue came to Randalstown in 1912 to take charge
of the Forestry work in Shanes castle which was lord O'Neill's
estate. Being a keen hurler, he joined the Belfast Tir-na-nOg
club and played for them and Antrim in inter county games. To
keep himself in training, he would hit a ball about with some
locals in Richard Magee's field and this inspired others to get
into the act of trying their hand at the ancient Irish sport of
hurling.
1918 set the scene when the Belfast Tir-na-nOg
club split up and in early 1919 at the request of Maurice Bogue,
a meeting was called by Fr Connolly to consider the formation
of a hurling club and as there was then a revival of the national
spirit, it was unanimously agreed to establish a club a to enter
a team in the south Antrim division of the county championship.
The club assumed the name, "Tir-na-nOg" and also registered
the royal blue colours. These jerseys were soon to be in action
when the first match of the championship was played against O'Donavan
Rossa Belfast in August of 1919 in McNaughton's field in Craigstown
and although Tir-na-nOg were beaten, much local interest was aroused
and hurling took firm root.
Hurling & Football - The early Year's
The Tir-na-nOg hurler's then joined the south
Antrim senior hurling league in 1920 and their first success came
in 1922 when they won the south Antrim league and then the county
championship, owing to a non appearance from the opposition!!!
The county Antrim senior hurling championship was won again in
1926 and 4 south Antrim senior hurling league's won between 1926
- 1932,
The football club at Tir-na-nOg wasn't set up
until the early '20s. However, some locals said that the club
paid too much attention to hurling and ignored the football so
in 1926, these locals formed a new club called "Emmet's".
This new club had the use of the Tir-na-nOg player's and playing
facilities. However, this club soon broke up and Tir-na-nOg resumed
it's membership of the south west football league.
The footballers of Tir-na-nOg were playing without
success while the Tir-na-nOg hurlers were doing much better. The
hurlers captured the county championship for the third time in
their history in 1939 and the junior hurlers of the club won the
junior hurling county championship in 1941.
The juveniles of the club also competed with
success as the minor hurler's won their south west Antrim league
in 1940 and 1943 while the minor footballers achieved the same
feat in 1942. That period rendered a decline in Tir-na-nOg's fortune
as the 1950's were very unsuccessful.
The "Whitehill"
The playing pitch over the years has gone through
major redevelopment's. There was a pavilion completed at the Whitehill
in 1970 which gave necessary facilities such as changing, toilets,
showers and referees room available. An extension to the Whitehill
was completed in 1987 which gave the Tir-na-nOg club a kitchen
and a dance floor in which to hold small functions for club funds.
On the actual playing surface there have been
many developments such as the new catch nets behind the goals,
a fence erected around the main playing field and also the new
training ground. The car park was extended and on the formation
of the new Tir-na-nOg camogie club, camogie goals have also been
purchased.
The "Barren Year's"
1960 came and it was to be remembered as a great
year when the junior hurling championship was won. The rest of
the '60's need to be largely forgotten as after this, signalled
a big decline in success. 15 years passed without a hint of success
until in the mid 70's when both hurling and football came to the
forefront. First in 1974 the Junior footballers won the south
west junior football Championship by beating Aldergrove. This
victory moved Tir-na-nOg into the county Antrim Junior football
semi-final. Tir-na-nOg comfortably won this and got through to
their first ever Junior football county final. The final was played
against O'Donnells but unfortunately, Tir-na-nOg disappointed
and lost out.
The division 3 hurling league was won by the
Tir-na-nOg senior hurlers in 1975 and it was in division 2 that
Tir-na-nOg have stayed right up until the present day. After these
two rare successes, Tir-na-nOg in football and hurling failed
to build on their previous hard work. The "barren years"
as they were called followed until the 1980's when things started
to brighten up.
The hurlers captured trophies in their own division
in 1983 and 1984 and it was not until the following year, 1985,
that the hard work of re-building a side was felt. Both the hurlers
and the footballers of the club captured trophies. The hurlers
won the Junior county championship, while the footballers won
division 3 of the All-county league.
The hurling success of that year wasn't built
on, unfortunately, but following the football success, promotion
was gained to division 1 of the all-county league in 1988. However
following the decision to split the first division into two leagues,
Tir-na-nOg were relegated to division 1b in 1994.
The Future
The hurling and the football now looked bright
with the youth currently being focused on and indeed the youth
of the club have done themselves proud in recent years with many
underage success, most notably in 2001, with the clubs first ever
minor final appearance. This has been recognised with the club
recently receiving awards from the county Antrim board and Antrim
borough council.
So all in all, things are looking prosperous
for the Tir-na-nOg club and it is hoped that these developments
will spur one of Antrim's oldest and most famous clubs back to
the top of hurling, football and camogie, to where they belong.
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